


Like a Pulse

by MissHyperbole



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Campaign 1 (Critical Role), Episode Tag, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:08:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22221580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissHyperbole/pseuds/MissHyperbole
Summary: Vax's perspective on That Scene from Episode 33.  A short and sweet little thing.
Relationships: Keyleth/Vax'ildan (Critical Role)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	Like a Pulse

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my friend Kiara for introducing me to Critical Role and also one of the best slow burns I've ever seen.

Vax came to with a violent gasp. Spotted vision. Pain. Pain. Pain. Vex. Keyleth. _Vex. Keyleth._

Both hands clutched his stomach, meeting a warm pool of blood. Breathe. _Breathe._ He had to get a clear breath in.

Clenching, he rolled to one side. Vex was upright. A little out of breath, but fine. She met his gaze and a frequency only read by twins flashed between them.

_You're an idiot but you're okay._

His head throbbed. Keyleth. Where was Keyleth? Another clench and he was up to sitting. Vision still spotty.

Keyleth stood by the door, looking over Cassandra. Or at least who he hoped was Cassandra. Please tell him that was Cassandra.

Keyleth pushed her hair away from her face, bringing his attention back to her. _Keyleth._ Twice now he'd been brought to death's door, and twice he'd seen her face before the black took over. With Vex safe, she was the only thought in his mind. The only thing that existed.

Though that may have just been the tunnel vision.

Gripping the desk, he pulled to his feet. Gravity was not his friend right now. His foot slid on what must have been his own blood. His body ached for him to just fall back on the floor and regain unconsciousness. The small sitting room seemed a mile wide, but he finally got close enough to catch her attention. Eyes the greenest green and very angry.

"That...that was a close one," he breathed. Heart surged to the top of his chest like he might throw it up.

" _Yeah._ " Her voice was clipped.

Keyleth. _Keyleth._ With each breath, that's all he could think. The Keyleth from his death vision was elegant, tender, bright. The one in front of him was spiny, wrapped up, full of fire.

He wouldn't trade either for the world.

"You know, I kinda...feel like we've been here befo-- _oh, right._ Oh, right, we _have_ been here before."

"You know I'm in love with you, right?"

The words fell out before he could stop them, but he didn't really want to. He'd never admitted that to himself in so many words, but even in his wavering state, he knew it was the truth.

Keyleth's face immediately softened with shock.

Just a step and the space between them disappeared. Vax kissed her. Pressed his mouth to hers as tenderly as he could. He now wanted to fall on the floor for a completely different reason.

His free hand ghosted against her side. Her own barely touched his shoulders, probably more to just catch him.

The kiss didn't last long - three one thousands at the most. But it still left him floating on air. He pulled back, the muscle behind his eye throbbing as he did so. Keyleth stood frozen solid. Face red as a sunrise.

"Huh..."

"Y'know, the way you turn into animals and stuff is really cool," he mumbled, the weight of the situation now crushing down on him.

"Huh."

"I'm losing a lot of blood right now."

"Yeah, so, uh, mm...are you sure...uh...just let me..." She brought her hands together around his wrist, but the energy of her healing spell crackled and throbbed like a broken faucet. He couldn't help the wince. "Sorry. Sorry."

She finished the spell. He was still hurting pretty bad, but the gush in his stomach seemed to close up at the least.

"Vax, are you all right?" Percy asked from a way off.

"I feel better. Thank you," he hummed, definitely at Keyleth and not the man who actually asked. His fingers gently curled, possibly to catch her hand before it slid off him entirely.

" _Good_." But then Percy started whacking him and he remembered what was going on and what a bastard he was.


End file.
